Instrument panel



Dec. l0, 1929. A, CHAMPION 1,73839 msmuawr PANEL Filed'Feb. 25, 1928 rasata als. te; meer nahmen stares narrar narrar onamrron, nncnasnn, nnrn er annua', taronruangnr nnen. w. DE GUI 2::

F LINT, MICHIGAN, ND DETEOXT TRUST GMPANY, 0F DETROIT, MICH- GAN, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNOBST@ A. C S? A' CDRPGBATLON 0F MlICHIGAt" application med February 28, 1928. derlei-Eo. 258,425.

a a new and improved instrument panel which will obviate separate provision of many of the parts hitherto considered necessary in the manuracture of linstrument panels. This is accomplished by forming the panel by die casting and thus lower the cost of manufacturing by forming the main part of the panel i from a sin le element. a

lt is a urther object of the invention to provide a panel ofthis type which is constructed so that the instruments xedthereto may be lighted by means of internal illumination, that is; from a light bulb which is not visible from the front seat of the car.

@ne of the particular advantages of the improved instrument panel resides in the fact that it is constructed to provide a dustproof housing for an instrument, it being sucient that the mechanism o the instrument be xed relative 4to a dat plate. rlhis construction renders the instruments readil andthemechanism therein readily accessible for pair work whenthe plate is removed.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will ap ear in the courseof the following description,` taken in connection vwith the accompanying drawing and appended claims.

ln the drawing: L ligure 1 is rear elevatmn.

Figure 2 1s a section on the line oi v Figure l.

Figure 3 is aseotion-on the line of Figure 2, with parts broken awayand instruments eliminatede Figure-e illustrates a lower central housin cover plate detached from the assembly..

eferring to the drawing, there is illus-A trated a portion of a dashboard l() which is provided with .an aperture 14 shaped to re? ceive the instrument panel.- The aperture and panel in the present case are oval, though it is obvious that they may be of any usual or desired shape. V

The novel panel illustrated comprises an integral face 12g/and this is shown as pre removable vided, about its periphery, with'ajseparate bezel 16, and as provided on-its forward side, with forwardl extendin integral housings 20, 22, 24' an 26. InV t is description the Word forward is usedl to denote the side of the panel toward the -forward end of the car. rlhe illustrated bezel extends outward LbeyondtheA main portion of the face 12, thus providing a peripheral' shoulder 30 Iwhich abuts against the rear orvisibly exposed face.' of the dashboard., With this construction, assuming the bezel to 'be initially secured to the-panel, the panel may be placed within the aperture 14' from the rear side only, the shoulder 30 holding the panel against fur-` ther forward movement.

Although any method of castin the panelA may be used, it 1s preferred to use -e-casting, this being a method 4that gives a product 1u vhich requires a minimum of nishing opera-1 ions. 's

s 'llhe arrangement of the housin vmay be .varied withinwide 'limits, depen ing. upon the number and character of'fthe instruments it is desired to carry.v In the'illustrated e111.-- bodiment, the housing 2O isfdesigned to carry the speedometer 2l, housing 22 the ammeter 23, housing 24 the oil ressure' gauge 25, andhousng 26 the cloclfr 2g.' A

rlhe speedometer 21- is shown as provided, about'its peri hery, with an annular shoulderl 34.; and 't is maybe adapted to restdirectly against the housing 20. A ning 36 may surround the speedometer in front of the shoulder 3e and maybe provided with apertured ears l8r-shown as-arrangedto register with ears 40, provided vupon. the housing 20. Screws 42 are v shown as 'extending 'through ears 38 and threaded into the casting ears y@fOr-these mentioned parts serving as one suitable means for holding the speedometer firmly within the housing. Housing 20 is showny as provided with a circumferentially extending slot da', which registers with 95 a similar slot e6 'in the sideof the speedome? ter case. A transparent strip d5 of pyraline or similar material is preferably fixed to the outer vside of housing 20, over the slot 44, to prevent the entrance of dust. The clock 27 10o may be mounted in exactly the same way as the speedometer, so that a description thereof would be substantially a repetition.

It may be noted that in the form shown, housing 24 extends forward slightly farther than housingsI and 26. This arrangement may be rovided in order favorably to support and) to protect parts of an instrument mechanism which is not provided with a case and which is capable of being mounted on a mere plate. The plate 48 carries an instrument mechanism 50 (in this case an oil gauge) and dial 52 over which a needle 54 operates. Plate 48 is shown as provided with two Voppositely placed and suitably apertured ears 56, registering with ears l58 of housing 24 and adapted to receive screws 60, threaded into the ears 58 for holding the instrument within the housing. A circumferentially extendin slot 62 is shown as provided in the side o housing 24 for admitting light, and this slot is preferably covered by the usual strip of pyraline 64 for preventing the entrance of dust. This arrangement obviates 'the necessity of providing a separate case for the instrument and renders the mecha-- Welded to the front side of the extension 68i is Vshown an annular bracket 70, provided with spring fingers 72 for removably supporting a light socket 74 shown as extending through the a erture in extension 68 and as adapted to ho d Ia light source such as a bulb 76, as'thus disposed between bushings, preferably. The light bulb 76 extends inward adjacent the front side of the panel face 12, thus locating 'the filament even with the slots in the sides of the housings. If desired, the bracket may be welded to the front side of the face of the panel itself. In this connection it ma be noted that all the slots are provided in t e sides of the housings toward the light bulb.

Housing 22 and the means for fastening an instrument therein may be the same as that described with respect to housing 24, except that the cover plate is not shown as provided with any extension carrying a light socket.

The face of the panel is formed with openings 80, corresponding to the locations of the housings, for exposing the dials of the instruments. A slightly protruding-annular shoulder 82 is preferably provided on the instrument face about each opening 80. While each instrument m`ay'be provided with a separate glassface plate, it is preferred to provide a single plate for tightly covering the faces of all' the instruments. Fitting within the bezel is heldrmly on the das board.

`the forward or concealed side, thengers maybe bent over the edge of the panel to hold the glass plate 84 in position.

On each end of the panel is shown a threaded boss 90, formed integrally with the panel, which may extend through a hole in an shaped bracket 92. One end of this bracket 1s shown as engaging the :frontl side of the anel while the other end abuts against the ashboard 10. By tightenin nuts 94, the panel -What is claimed is:

1. An instrument panel comprising an apertured faceand an instrument housing integrally kcast together, and means'for suporting alight source opposite said housing, instrument mechanism being mounted within the housing and said housing being provided with means for admitting light to said mechanism from said source.

2. An instrument panel comprising an apertured face and a p urality of instrument housings integrally cast together, instrument mechanisms being supported within the respective housings, a ight source being disposed therebetween, each housing being provided with a slot for admittin light to the mechanism therein, and said s ots being lo- .cated so that they open from the housings toward said light source.

3. An instrument pJanel comprising an 'apertured facey and a ezel extending .about the periphery thereof, said panel being pro- Y vided with spaced openings therethrough adjacent the inner side of said bezel, a transparent cover fitting within said bezel and covering said a ertures and a retainin ring within said ezel over saidcover an provided with a plurality of lingers, each finger extending through one of said spaced openings for retaining said ring and cover in position. v

4. An instrument panel comprising an apertured face and a plurality of instrument housings integrally cast together and shaped to betightly covered by a common glass plate provided with a slot for admitting light to said' mechanism, an instrument extending within said housing and xed thereto, said instrument being provided with an opening corresponding to the slot in said housing.

5. An instrument panel comprising an apertured face and a plurality of instrument housings integrally cast together; and instrument casings in said housings,said housingsl and said instamment casings being provided with registering openings for the lateral admission of light to instrument; parts Within said casing.

BASIL W. de GUICHARD, DETROIT TRUST COMPANY, By McPI-IERSON BROWNING,

President, Emecutors of Albert Champion, Deceased. 

